Thursday, March 28, 2024

I am not flouting the constitution-President Sata

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President Michael Sata

President Michael Sata has argued that he is not flouting the Zambian constitution in his naming public institutions and infrastructure such as airports and hospitals. Mr. Sata said he was conversant with the requirements of the constitution and appealed to his critics to give him chance as he unveils ambitious developmental projects in the country.

President Sata was responding to questions from journalists at State House.

“First you name and then you gazette. As you might be aware that I will be honouring freedom fighters on Independence Day and there after gazette them in accordance with the powers vested in me,” the President said.

And President Sata has refused to be dragged into cheap politics by over zealous individuals.

Mr. Sata advised Committee of Citizens Executive Director Gregory Chifire that his government was receiving over whelming support from the stakeholders in the country including the donor community who are speaking highly of him.

“I don’t want to be dragged into cheap politics. I would like to advise Mr. Chifire not to witch hunt because my administration is receiving very encouraging information,” the President said.

And President Sata has maintained that the adjustment of retirement age from 55 to 65 years for civil servants is aimed at benefiting the Zambian people.

Mr. Sata explained that engaging former retired workers on contracts was costly to government hence it now wants to make favourable conditions conducive to the workers so that they grow and attain the retirement age responsibly.

“Putting people on contracts was indirect slavery and government now wants its citizens especially civil servants to retire responsibly,” he said.

ZANIS

38 COMMENTS

  1. Mr president dont listen to the MMD thieves….in fact at times the  LAW is useless it frees thieves and the corrupt on technicalities. political thieves, need to be dealt with harshly politically thats why you are in the driving seat mr president….Imagine, how can you justify First lady, Thandiwe Banda ,a primary school teacher is now worthy K8 billion kwacha after 3yrs at State house . Now owns hotels and Flats in Malawi,Tanzania and other neighboring countries, how about the JAMES&sons, OMG RB!!…when poor Zambians have no medicines, have poor roads, Farming products going to waste ,the state of Zambia is poor everywhere?.This is serious corruption and greed RB . Why get tax payers Cash to benefit and create jobs for other people in other countries. This is serious gentlemen!!

  2. That’s our man. He doesn’t have time for cheap politics. Did you hear that Mr. Chifire? Join us as we wait for action man to “unveil ambitious developmental projects in the country”. 

  3. I’d like to understand how Sata thinks (though justified) that by single handedly cancelling the state house and airport projects he is not flouting the constitution.He was on Muvi tv saying that such things were not supposed to be a single person decision but a cabinet decision.The same power he is using to justify his single handed decisions to cancel is just as wrong as the original single person decision to build.Where was the cabinet to collectively cancel? Lead by example Mr Sata.

    • it takes a thief to catch a thief. So since the contracts were single handedly sought, they will be single handedly be canceled. we cant waste time discussing such obvious issues in parliament. we dont need such a state house at the moment.

  4. this president will wreck the country. when he leaves office millions will still be unemployed, poverty will increase etc….. maybe we’ll have more shopping malls. 
    A bad regime is ousted only to be replaced by a bad one. che guevara.

  5. #Enka Rasha – if you did not know there are provisions within the constitution of Zambia that gives the president delegated authority. The president can constitutionary overturn a high court sentence and also pardon convicts sentenced even in the supreme court. The question you need to ask is how well and wise is that president when using his powers. In this instance RB unconstitutionally contracted the chinese to build a new state house while Sata has constitutionally anulled that silly proposal. You can witch hunt wrong doings in the guise of constitution but sometimes common sense is vital. His decisions against rebuilding the statehouse and airport are noble and goes far into upholding dignity to Zambians within 30 days of being in Power.

  6. #4 Enka Rasha – Are you by any chance not MMD boot licker, Capitalist or Maestro. I am just asking as I never saw your postings before elelctions. They have dissapeared and you have appeared. I find it staggering that you cant write anything positive regarding what president Sata is doing so far, given that it breath taking for most of us.

  7. Mr. Chifire is failure. He is too small, and irrelevant. He is not even presidential material. Shut up Chifire, we are hungry for development we have missed for 20yrs. Sad u have lost ur crooked source of income. Shame on u. For u, it was constitutional for RB to secretly award contracts worth billions of kwacha? 

  8. This man is an opportunist and will act on impulse. He needs to be checked to keep him balanced otherwise the hero worshippers will soon fall silent by his actions. He questioned the need for the presidential vehicle and the next thing you see is him and his wife been driven in it. He is the one man that will one day unleash the Zambian Army on his own people just to put his point accross. Please let us stop hero worshipping and start making people accountable of their actions.

  9. why are you hounding Malawi a small country and not pursuing South Africa which detained you and confiscated large sums of money off you?
    Tell Zuma you shall boycott all future meetings to be held in SA until a refund and apology are made!

  10. What is fascinating is that there has been no mention of the actual constitutional breaches…establishment and abolishing of ministries with National Assembly approval, unilateral overturning of legally executed decisions, appointment of deputy ministers without ministers to deputise, abrogating the bill of rights but stating that Zambia shall be governed by 10 commandments and CATHOLIC principles etc Some say that sometimes the law must be overlooked in order to make progress. I say not….the rule of law can never be compromised….it must always prevail. Otherwise when should the arbitrary exercise of power stop…when you are personally affected? No one is above the law and no one is entitled to breach the law for the sake of progress…lets be objective people. Be true Patriots!

  11. Mr.President, we salute you – Man of Action – we encourage you to continue with the excellent reforms you have instigated and your PF Govt. Is carrying out. 
    Please prosecute all those who robbed, plundered this nation over the past 20 or so years, especially the immediate past regime of thugs & thieves who enriched themselves at the expense of the people of Zambia.

  12. Waiting for MMD to deal with Senior Chieftainess Nkomesha of the Soli people since MMD said (RB & Kachingwe) they would deal with her after elections.

  13. upnd is bitter…they were saying pf kaponya party….us kaponyas voted and sata is now president. hh wiill never rule zambia tribalist

  14. #9 Future Zed – you are a cheap lier. The president has only used the the merc limousine. If you did not know, it was the Lexus cars that RB bought which are impounded. the problem is you cannot even sell them as you cant realise what was spent on them. So really someone will find a way of using them

  15. @FutureZed. Do a bit of research before showing your foolishness in public. The cars he was talking about are Lexus and are armoured cars you plank.

  16. The same donor community will start doubting your leadership, just wait and don’t run into conclusion, it is too early to dance to your own music. The Zambian people are watching and after 90 days we shall conduct an in-depth analysis of your promises. Our researchers will tell people to empty their pockets and look for that cash! No street kids etc. We shall try to be objective however, subjectivity will also play a vital role in trying to capture the constructions of the Zambian people.

  17. Zambians, Zambians, zambians, let the President do some work for God’s sake, the man has only been in office for 30 days, alllah!. Give the man a chance to prove himself. What I am saying here is not that we shouldn’t critisise. But whatever we do, let’s bear in mind that a lot has been destroyed in Zambia both in terms of development, morally and financially. It took Rome thousands of years to build and Zambia (and Sata) is no exception. Give the man a chance…

  18. President Sata has breached the constitution several times even over appointing MP to PF and Sata is not a breach. Cabinet exists on paper only and that will be the order of the day. No individual can/ will tell Sata about breaching constitution. To this effect I challenge any one with a contrary view on this statement. We Zambians know Sata as a strong minded individual rarely to admit on errors attributed to him. Be ready for him in the next 5 years and visualize where Zambia will be standing in an ever changing world.

  19. @19 Muna Dekhane, 

    Can you tell us the part of our Constitution president Sata has breached. We want to know.President Sata has better qualified political and legal advisors than you. So don’t expressed your ignorance here.

  20. Bushe ba MMD tamutendwa ukubwataika? if u think what the president for all zambian is doing then go to malawi for a holiday and come back when there will be change of GOVT from PF to NAREP,Or shut your beaks Bamumbwe

  21. Was Rupia justified in single handedly deciding for another State house for a family of 4 of for another international airport for a borrowed jet, or indeed for the 4 lexus extreme luxiourois cars. We need the rot cleaned up. Ans the only who seems willing and ready to do it is doing without injuring the majority of us.

  22. It great the president acknowledges that,too much power corrupts
    and opposition is expected ,that’s democracy ,hope for the best

  23. #10 WE in South Africa have never detained Mr Michael Sata. He always comes here for his medicals and we have never taken money from him. We will always welcome him as before. We are happy that his victory has shown the dictatorship in Botswana what is a real and tested democracy. Not these one party ruled democracies with an 80 percent vote that comes from intimidated citizens.

  24. #19 Muna something something. You speak English worse than me who passed only Carpentry at matric. How can we undertstand you and respond when you cant communicate?

  25. “Putting people on contracts was indirect slavery and government now wants its citizens especially civil servants to retire responsibly,” he said.

    Very true 50 was too early

  26. The Media in South Africa is waiting for Sata !!!!!
    A few days ago, President Zuma of South Africa was asked about the $25,000 US Dollars that was confiscated from Sata, during a private recorded interview, probably to be shown when Sata travels to South Africa. He (Zuma), answered the reporter that – the media in South African or International media should ask the Zambian President how and why he left that money on the airport, therefore, said that the best person to answer was not him Zuma but the President of Zambia.  
    The question is that will Sata also avoid to go to SA???

  27. only Zambia and Botswana have a retirement age of less than 60. Its not new in the world. After all UN officers retire at 65 years

  28. 13 Chanda Chimba take note that the powefull national in the world embassy is in are land,so playing with is joke.She is always visiting that embassy every month.Senior Chieftainess Nkomesha of the Soli people is highly respect even abroad and donas.That is why even Mwakalombe was told to step down for Masebo,because of that powerful embassy in are zone.

  29. #7 Amayama how could i be MMd bootlicker or Capitalist when my posts go far back before last elections? Bloggers like Mwanawakwitu or Nina Chale can prove i’ve been posting here over 2 yrs.To say that what Sata is doing is breathtaking is to admit that your emotions have clouded your objectivity.If i questioned some of Banda’s actions and i now question some of Sata’s actions it is proof that i’m not a hero worshipper and i’m more grounded in reality.I don’t care how much you adore Sata but total trust is shortsighted for anything human.Thats why when we build planes and we trust our hand’s workmanship we also take it on a rigorous and sometimes punishing test to check its integrity.Do the sama with Sata for your own good.

  30. Ala “futureZed”, is probably the chap that landed pa London, saw London black cabs, & thought they were Rolls Royce’s, so it is not surprising that when he saw the Merc Pullman that MCS was driven in to open parliament, not knowing what a Lexus looks like, quickly assumed it was one of the cars in question!!!

  31. Interesting debate. I do not think MCS has flouted any constitutional provisions except when he blundered by nominating more MPs than allowed. However, I feel that he should consult Cabinet all the time. We need some reassurance that he is doing that. And I want to know how does the President fire the DCIO outrightly? What is the job of the IG and his deputy? Does it mean that he will be in charge of firing each and everyone. Let him give directives and let Cabinet do that on his behalf; quietly twapapata. The hero worshippers should tell him that.

  32. CORRECT MR. PRESIDENT, CONDITIONS OF SERVICE IN THE GOVT SHOULD BE IMPROVED IN ORDER TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALITY PROFESSIONALS, BUT DISMISSING CIVIL SERVANTS AT ANY LEVEL SHOLUD ALSO BE MADE EASIER SO THAT GOVT DOES’NT GET STUCK WITH DEAD WOOD UP TO THE AGE OF 65! PEOPLE MUST STOP STICKING TO GOVT ONLY FOR JOB SECURITY…..

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